Turbine.



W. ROBINSON.

TURBINE.

APPLIUATIOH FILED Dnc. 6, 1904. RBNBWED ooT.1,19o9.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. l RUBINSON.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTO/ W/ TIVESSES.'

"narran sfraras rarsiar serres.

WILLIAM ROBINSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

TURBINE.

Application filed December 6, 1904, Serial No. 235,657.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that i, VILLIAM ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States,residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented a new and 1mproved Turbine-Engine, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to means for reversing turbine or rotary engines.

j The nature of my invention will be understood from the descriptionwhich follows, reference being had to the acconr panying drawings, whichform a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is 'a longitudinalsection of a turbine steam engine, illustrating the main features of myinvention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal view of the steam valve, and Fig. 3an end view of the same. Fig. 4 is an end view showing` means forsupporting and anchoring the fixed shaft; Fig. 5 is a cross sectionshowing rings of blades inside and outside of the rotating sleeve; Fig.6 illustrates the relative arrangement of fixed and rotating blades orvanes for driving the engine in one direction, while Fig. 7 illustratesthe relative arrangement of fixed and rotating blades or vanes fordriving it in the opposite direction; Fig. 8 is an elevation, partly insection, of one of the blades showing its construction and fastening;Fig. 9 represents a longitudinal section of 'the engine illustrating a.different method of admitting steam to the reversing chamber andexhausting it therefrom from that shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 10 is a.perspective view showing the relative position of the blades and ringsof blades on the outside of the rotating sleeve, and Fig. 11 is asection of the rotating sleeve showing means for fastening the bladesthereto.

The fixed shaft 1, provided with the sleeve or radial extension 2,shrunk thereon or otherwise rigidly secured thereto, is held in a fixednon-rotative position b v the supports 3, 4. The shaft 1 is providedalso with the fixed radial sets of blades 5, 6, 7. rThe outer shell 8 isalso rigidly held in a fixed nonrotatable position by being anchored tothe supporting or base plate 9, as by the supports 10, 10. The fixedouter shell 8 is provided on its interior with parallel rings of fixedblades 11, 12, 18 projecting inwardly in a radial direction, as shown.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

Renewed October 1, 1909. Serial No. 520,583.

Between the fixed axle 1 and the fixed outer shell 8, the sleeve 14 ismounted rotatably and is capable of rotating on its bearings, in eitherdirection. Said sleeve 14 is provided on its interior with parallelrings of blades 15, 16, 17, fixed to said sleeve and projecting inwardlyin a radial direction. These rings of blades project inwardly betweenthe fixed rings of blades 5, 6, 7, and coact therewith. In like mannerthe rotating sleeve 14 is provided on its exterior with radial rings ofblades 18, 19, 20, 3rojecting outwardly between the fixed rings ofblades 11, 1Q, 13, of the outer, fixed shell 8, and coacting with saidfixed blades of said shell.

The operation will be understood on reference to Figs. 6 and 7. Assumethat Fig. 6, for instance, illustra-tes the arrangement of blades in theouter chamber A.: The first and third rows of blades, from the right,represent the fixed blades 11 secured to the outer shell 8, while thesecond and fourth rows represent the outer rings of blades 18, on therotating sleeve 14. Assume now that the steam is admitted from theright, in the direction of the arrow it strikes the first ring of fixedblades, 11, reacts, passes between the blades, impinges upon therotatable blades of the second row, 18, and so continues throughout thelength of the chamber A, reacting from the fixed blades and impingingupon the succeeding rows of rotating blades. This sets the sleeve 14 inrapid rotation to the right, looking from the right hand end of theengine.

Fig. 7 represents the arrangement of blades in the chamber B, betweenthe fixed shaft 1 and the rotating sleeve 14. In this case the relativecurve of the fixed and rotating blades is the reverse of the arrangementshown in Fig. 6; thus in Fig. 7 the first and third rows represent thefixed blades 5 and the second and fourth rows the rotating blades 15. 1twill be noted that in Fig. G the fixed blades 11 curve upwardly and therotating blades 18 downwardly, whereas, in Fig. 7 this arrangement isreversed, the fixed blades 5 curving downwardly and the rotating blades15 upwardly. Now admitting steam to Fig. 7, from the right, it strikesthe fixed blades 5, reacts, passes through between said blades, im-

pinges upon the rotating blades 15, and

thus sets the sleeve 14, rotating to the left, looking from the righthand end of the engine. Thus, it will be seen, thc engine is caused torotate in either direction accordingly as steam is admitted to the outeroperative chamber A or to the inner operative chamber B.

The pulley 21, secured to the rotating sleeve 14 represents means fortransmitting power from the engine C to the mechanism or machinery to bedriven by it. The connection, however, may be made in any suitablemanner, direct or through gearing, or otherwise.

As shown in Fig. 4, the shaft 1 is provided at or near its ends withangles 22, which are engaged by the clamps 23, whereby said shaft isheld in a stationary position. The sleeve 14 is supported at one end, asshown at 24, upon bearings 25, located between said sleeve and shaft. Atthe opposite end, however, the sleeve is shown as rotatably supported onthe bearings 26 located between said sleeve and the outer case or shell8, the outer case supporting the sleeve 14 in this case. Either style ofbearing may be used at both ends if desired, as may be found mostconvenient.

27 represents a stufing box between the rotating sleeve 14 and the outercase or shell 8.

Live steam from the boiler comes through the pipe 28, from which thebranch 29 furnishes steam to the outer chamber A to drive the engine inone direction.

To bring steam to the inner chamber B, for reversing, I provide theshaft with a longitudinal orifice 30, (see Fig. 9) and at the properpoint bore through the shaft into this orifice as shown at 32, thusadmitting steam into the annular space 33 at the beginning of the rowsof blades, from the branch pipe 34, which is connected to the end of theshaft 1, as shown at 35. At the opposite end of the shaft (Fig. 9) theorifice 3G is formed, which is connected by the passages 37 with theannular space 38, whereby the exhaust steam is conducted from thechamber B, through the fixed shaft 1 and the pipe 39, to the exhaustpipe 40, and thence to the condenser. By conducting the exhaust steam inthis roundabout way, back pressure from one of the chambers, A, B, tothe other is practically eliminated. The exhaust steam from t-he chamberB, however, may be conducted through an exhaust entirely independent ofthe exhaust pipe 40, if desired.

It will be understood that the live steam in passing from one end of themotor to the other expands rapidly, losing heat and power. To make upfor this loss and to utilize the expanded steam, the motor is increasedin diameter and the blades in length in approaching the exhaust end ofthe engine. Thus the first stage, D, where the live steam enters, is ofminimum diameter; the second stage, It, is of greater diameter, toutilize more fully the partly exhausted steam, while the third stage, F,is of maximum diameter.

With the above explanation, attention is now invited to Fig. 1, in whicha method of admitting steam to the reversing chamber, B, and exhaustingtherefrom, is illustrated, differing from that described in connectionwith Fig. 9.

In Fig. 1, the shaft 1 is provided with the long orifice or chamber 41,in which is located the hollow or tubular valve 42. This valve is closedat both ends to balance the pressure of steam therein, and is providedat proper intervals with slots or orifices 43, 44, 45 and 81, passingthrough opposite sides of said valve.

As already described, openings 32 pass from the center of the hollowshaft 1 to the annular rec-ess 33 of the chamber B.` In Fig. 1, in likemanner, openings 46 pass through said shaft to the annular recess 47 ofthe chamber B, and openings 48 to the annular recess 49 of said chamberB.

An annular groove is formed around the shaft l, as shown at 50, and acorresponding inner groove in the ring 51, which passes around and issecured to the shaft over said annular groove thereon. The branch steampipe 34 is secured to said ring 51, thus forming a passage for steamaround t-he shaft. The tube 52 is secured to said ring 51 at theopposite side of said shaft, and this expands into the chamber 53, fromwhich the steam pipe 54 leads to the annular recess 82 in the chamber A.The hollow valve 55, provided with the slots or openings 56, fitsclosely within the chamber 53.

The lever 57 is fulcrumed at 58, and engages the hollow valves 42 and 55at opposite sides of the fulcrum, as shown at 59 and 60. The machine isnow ready for operation. Opening the stop cock 6l permits the steam topass through the annular channel 50 of the shaft 1, and to enter thetube 52, but it can go no farther, as all ports are closed by the hollowvalves. Now, drawing out the valve 42 one space, by the lever 57, bringsthe open passage 43 opposite the ports 83 leading from said passage 50around the shaft, and at the same time brings the open passage 44 ofsaid valve opposite the port 32, thus admitting live steam at highpressure to the first stage l) of the inner chamber B, and thus startingthe sleeve 14 to revolve toward the leftthat is, in the re# versingdirection.

If now the machine be overloaded, the drawing out of the valve 42another space will bring the valve opening 45 opposite the ports 46,thus admitting high pressure steam to the second stage E of the chamberB. In

like manner by drawing out the valve 42 another space, steam at highpressure is admitted through the orifices S1 and the ports 4S to thethird stage F of the chamber B. By the simple means described,therefore, the normal power of the machine may be more than doubled, ifoccasion requires it.

When the lever 57 is in the position shown in the drawing, the machineis dead. When it is required, however, to start it in the oppositedirection from that just described, the lever 57 is drawn to the leftone space. This brings the orifice 56 opposite the open end of the pipe54, thus admitting steam to the annular space 82 of the chamber A andstarting the machine forward. Inspection will show that the valve 42,meantime, keeps steam shut off from the inner chamber B.

It will be understood thatwith the valve 61 closed the valve G2 may beopened, thus driving the machine in its normal direction without usingthe lever 57, when quick changes of direction or conditions are notliable to be required.

It is evident that by closing the ends of the hollow valve 42 and makingthe slots or orifices 44 &c. in its walls, opposite each other, thesteam within said valve exerts an equal pressure in all directions, thatis, the valve is perfectly balanced and as a consequence the valve maybe readily actuated and controlled by the lever 57, without anyresistance from the steam pressure within said valve.

I make a longitudinal channel G3 in the bottom of the valve 42, betweenthe valve and its seat, for the purpose of drainage. Near the outer endof said valve I make an orifice 64, extending through the fixed shaftand said valve, when the machine is in its normal inert condition, asshown in Fig. 1. In this orifice in the shaft a drainage cock G5 isinserted, which may be opened or closed at pleasure. It will be notedthat these orifices 64 are opposite each other only when the valve 42 isin its normal position and the machine inert. The movement of the valvein either direction closes the orifice in the shaft.

At the opposite end of the machine the rotating sleeve 14 is providedwith an annular outwardly extending web or flange 66, extending into anannular recess 67 in the outer case S, and its edge projecting into thegeneral exhaust port 68 as shown. The spent steam from the outer chamberA is directed by said flange directly to said exhaust port GS. The spentsteam from the inner chamber B passes through the orifices G9 into thechamber 70, and from there is directed, in like manner, by said flange66 into said exhaust port GS, from which it passes to the condenser, orelsewhere. By thus keeping the two bodies of spent steam from thechambers A and B separated until they pass practically outside of themachine, the liability of the steam from one of the chambers A, B,exerting back pressure upon the blades of the other chamber ispractically eliminated.

The steam in passing from one end of the chamber B to the other, exertsconsiderable parallel force upon the rotating blades, thus tending toproduce a strong end thrust upon the sleeve 14. To obviate this endthrust, I provide the said sleeve with the inside shoulders or abutments71, 72, 73, against which the steam exerts an equal force in theopposite direction. Thus end thrust in either direction is entirelyneutralized.

The same principle of neutralizing end thrust is readily applied to theoutside of said rotating sleeve 14 in the outer chamber A; but in thiscase it is necessary as a matter of simplicity and convenience, to mountthrust flanges of proper diameter, at the right hand end of the sleeve14, inside of the shell or case 8, by which means all end thrust of thesleeve 14 is neutralized when steam is used in the chamber A. It doesnot seem necessary to here complicate the drawing by illustrating thisdevice fully; the first of these annular thrust flanges, however, isshown at 84, Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 shows a section of the rotating sleeve 14 showing the means offastening the blades thereto, and Fig. 8 is an enlarged viewillustrating the same. The sleeve 14 is provided with shallow grooves 74extending around its peripheral surface and located at the distanceapart which it is desired to place the rings of blades. Orifices 75 arebored, preferably on a bevel, through the shell of said sleeve 14,within the lines of said grooves, at the proper distance apart for thelocation of the adjacent blades relatively to each other. The blades areprovided at their fastening point with a hub 7 6; adapted to be forcedsecurely into position in said orifices 75, and above this hub is anangular extension or enlargement 77 fitting into said groove 74 (seeFig. S). This angular extension serves as a guide, insuring the properrelative position of adjacent blades, and the rapid assembling of thesame in proper, accurate position.

I'Vhen the blades are assembled, their 'permanency of position isassured by upsetting the edges of the grooved sections 74 against orupon the hub extensions 77, as shown at 78.

The hub 7 6a is provided with blades 15 and 18a, forming one piece; oneblade, 15fL extending inside of the sleeve 14 and the other, 18a,extending outwardly, as shown in Fig. 11. Thus one orifice, 75. servesto secure two blades, an inner and an outer, in position. In the samefigure the inner blade 15 is driven or pressed into position from theoutside of the sleeve, while the outer blade 18 is provided with a hubbeveling in the reverse direction, which is also driven into position ina beveled orifice 75, from the outside.

The sleeve 14 is made in two longitudinal sections for convenience ofassembling, and these sections are securely fastened together by boltspassing through the holes 79 in the flanges or lugs 8O forming a part ofsaid sections.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a turbine engine, the combination of a fixed shaft provided with aseries of outwardly projecting blades or vanes, a fixed outer case orshell provided with inwardly projecting blades, a sleeve rotatablymounted between said shaft and shell and provided on its exterior withblades arranged to coact with the blades secured to said outer shell, toturn said sleeve in one direction, and on its interior with bladesarranged to ccact with the blades secured to said fixed shaft to turnsaid sleeve in the reverse direction.

2. In a turbine engine, the combination of a fixed central shaftprovided with radially extending rings of blades, a fixed outer case orshell, provided with inwardly extending rings of blades, a sleevesupported rotatably between said shaft and shell and provided on itsexterior with rings of blades, arranged to co-act with said rings ofblades secured to said outer shell, to drive the engine in onedirection, and on its interior with rings of blades arranged to co-actwith the rings of blades on said fixed shaft, to drive the engine in thereverse direction, and means for admitting steam, or other expansiblefluid, to either of the chambers containing said eo-acting rings ofblades and for exhausting the steam therefrom.

3. In a turbine engine the combination of a fixed shaft, a fixed outercase or shell, a sleeve supported rotatably between said shaft andshell, and forming independent chambers between said shaft and sleeveand between said sleeve and outer shell, co-acting blades or buckets inthe inner chamber' arranged to drive said sleeve in one direction, andco-acting blades or buckets in said outer chamber arranged to drive saidsleeve in the reverse direction, and means for admitting steam or otherexpansible fluid to said inner chamber through said shaft.

4. In a turbine engine the combination of a fixed shaft, a fixed outercase or shell, a sleeve supported rotatably between said shaft andshell, and forming independent chambers between said shaft and sleeveand between said sleeve and outer shell, co-acting blades or buckets inthe inner chamber arranged to drive said sleeve in one direction, andco-acting blades or buckets in said outer chamber arranged to drive saidsleeve in the reverse direction, means for admitting steam or otherexpansible fluid to said inner chamber, and means for exhausting thesame therefrom through said shaft.

5. In a turbine engine the combination of a fixed shaft, a fixed outercase or shell, a sleeve supported rotatably between said shaft andshell, and forming independent chambers between said shaft and sleeveand between said sleeve and outer shell, co-acting blades or buckets inthe inner chamber ar ranged to drive said sleeve in one direction, andco-acting blades or buckets in said outer chamber arranged to drive saidsleeve inthe reverse direction, means for admitting steam or otherexpansible fiuid to said inner chamber, and means for conducting theexhaust steam therefrom to the exhaust pipe from said outer chamber.

6. In a turbine engine, the combination of a central fixed shaft closedat its inner end, and provided with a series of ports through its wallsleading to different stages of the blade or bucket chamber, a pressuresupply pipe connected to said shaft, a tubular valve movable within saidshaft and provided with a series of ports, at intervals, arranged toregister with the ports of said shaft, and means for moving said valveto admit working pressure to said blade chamber at a single point or ata plurality of stages in succession.

7. In a turbine engine, the combination 'of a central fixed shaftprovided with a longitudinal tubular chamber, and with ports extendingfrom said tubular chamber outwardly, through said shaft, to the innerworking or blade chamber, an outer fixed shell or case, a sleeverotatably supported between said shaft and shell, said sleeve forming,respectively, an inner working chamber between said shaft and sleeve andan outer working chamber between said sleeve and outer shell, co-actingblades arranged in said inner chamber to drive said sleeve in onedirection, and co-acting blades in the outer chamber arranged to drivesaid sleeve in the opposite direction, a supply pipe connected to saidouter chamber and to said hollow shaft, a valve arranged to control thesupply of working fluid to said inner chamber, a valve arranged tocontrol the supply of working fluid to said outer chamber, and acontrolling lever, said valves being connected to said lever, the wholearranged so that steam, or other expansible fluid, may be admitted toeither of said chambers independently of the other by the movement ofsaid lever.

S. In a turbine engine, a central shaft provided with a longitudinaltubular chamber having ports opening therefrom to the working or bladechamber, a hollow balanced valve movable longitudinally and arranged tocontrol the admission of steam or expansible fluid through said ports insuccession to said working chamber, and means for actuating said valve,

9. In a turbine engine., the con'ibination of a supporting shaft, asleeve connected therewith and forming a chamber surrounding the same,said chamber being provided with coacting blades or buckets arranged torotate said sleeve in one direction, a second chamber surrounding thefirst and provided with coacting blades or buckets arranged to turn saidsleeve in the opposite direction, a source of driving fluid supply,valves controlling the admission of' drivingl fluid to said chambers,and a valve lever, the movement of said lever in one directionadmitting` driving fluid to one of' said chambers and its movement inthe opposite direction serving to admitoperative fluid to the otherchamber.

10. In a turbine engine comprising a fixed shaft, a rotor mountedthereon, and coacting blades or buckets between said shaft and rotor fordriving the latter, the combination with said rotor of annular abutmentsformed therein between the entrance and exhaust ports of said engine,said abutments corre` sponding to enlargements on said fixed shaftwhereby steam traversing said engine will be caused to react againstsaid abutments, thus tending` to produce an end thrust of said rotor ina direction opposite to that traversed by the steam.

ll. In a turbine engine, the combination of a fixed shaft provided withfixed blades or buckets, a fixed outer case or shell, a rotor cylinderor sleeve supported rotatably7 between said shaft and shell, and formingindependent chambers between said shaft and sleeve and between saidsleeve and outer case, coacting blades in each of said chambers, theblades in each chamber being arranged to drive the rotor sleeve, on theadmission of steam or operative fluid thereto, and means for admittingmotive power to either of said chambers independently of the other.

IVILLIAM ROBINSON.

fitnesses HENRY G. FRI'rsoi-IE, I-IowARD FLoRANoE.

